Withholding food? Effect re dose

[Steph]

With five cats, three of which have a weight problem, I'm trying to figure out how to manage this as something has to be done for their long-term health. I do free-feed, as it is challenging to do otherwise and make sure they get enough nutrition, i.e., sometimes they aren't so hungry when I think they should eat at a designated time. I thought picking up overnight might help. Might.

Stubbie, my diabetic, gets 7.5 units of Prozinc in a U-100 syringe. He's been doing great. If I pick up everyone's food at night, should I expect a very low reading pre-shot, and then have to adjust his dose down accordingly from current dose?

Is it even safe to withhold food from a diabetic for 8 - 9 hours, max? He is a grazer. Does he "need" food throughout the day/night?

Thank you!

 

[Larry and Kitties]

Stubbie, my diabetic, gets 7.5 units of Prozinc in a U-100 syringe.

Do you mean you are drawing up the U40 insulin to the 7 1/2 unit marking on a U100 syringe? In that case you are give 3 units of the U40 insulin.
For clarity you should always specify the units of insulin you are giving, not how far you draw the insulin up in a syringe.

All my cats get only two meals a day. The key is to be consistent day to day

 

[Callie & Patches]

Our vet says to feed Callie every 12 hours, 30 minutes before her Vetsulin. Callie gets 1/3 of a can of Purina DM. If I give her more food, I have to increase her insulin. We are balancing the food a.d insulin. I will admit that she was so hungry that I gave her some more food to stop her begging. Her numbers stayed low, so no harm done.

We have 3 other cats. Everyone gets fed in separate rooms.

 

[Steph]

Do you mean you are drawing up the U40 insulin to the 7 1/2 unit marking on a U100 syringe? In that case you are give 3 units of the U40 insulin.
For clarity you should always specify the units of insulin you are giving, not how far you draw the insulin up in a syringe.

All my cats get only two meals a day. The key is to be consistent day to day

 

[Steph]

Yes, 3 units of U-40. I understand from the Costco pharmacist that the insulin may be "old." So I will have to throw away when it no longer works. Thank you!

 

[Steph]

Our vet says to feed Callie every 12 hours, 30 minutes before her Vetsulin. Callie gets 1/3 of a can of Purina DM. If I give her more food, I have to increase her insulin. We are balancing the food a.d insulin. I will admit that she was so hungry that I gave her some more food to stop her begging. Her numbers stayed low, so no harm done.

We have 3 other cats. Everyone gets fed in separate rooms.

 

[Steph]

Ah, yes. Separate rooms! Thank you!

 

[jayla-n-Drevon]

just fyi some cats do well with grazing and it is easier on the pancreas.... the auto feeders are very helpful for this method-
Mine are older and always grazed so for me to just withheld food at 16 and 17 was not a option for us. I guess it was a option but I would not do that to them--and they puked with empty tummy. You can certainly control the amount of food in the auto feeder. Most use the pet safe 5-
welcome!